Overview

• Senator Ted Cruz formally introduced the STOP FUNDERs Act on July 22 and the proposal will now proceed to committee review.
• The act would add assistance to rioting as a predicate offense under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, enabling conspiracy charges and enhanced criminal penalties.
• Six Senate Republicans—Mike Lee, Tom Tillis, Josh Hawley, John Cornyn, Tommy Tuberville and Bill Hagerty—cosponsored the legislation.
• Ongoing investigations by the House Oversight Committee and the Justice Department are tracing dark money networks financing violent protests, with particular focus on billionaire Neville Roy Singham.
• The measure follows a June surge in violent anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles that inflicted more than $20 million in damage to public buildings and corresponded with an 830 percent rise in assaults on ICE officers.